Hollow brick or wall construction



w. J. WILKINS HOLLOW BRICK OR WALL CONSTRUCTION March 3, 1931.

Filed Mar 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l 28 INVENTOR. W/ZZ/AM J W/ K/MS, BY WV A TTORNE Y.

March 3, 1931. w J w 1,795,001

HOLLOW BRICK OR WALL CONSTRUCTION File Ma 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY W71 1/ M W/z/w/vs,

A TTORNE Y.

March 3, 1931. w w 1,795,001

HOLLOW BRICK OR WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed March 12, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORI W711 MM J 17 71 K/A/S,

A TTORNE Y.

March 3, 1931.

W. J. WILKINS HOLLOW BRICK OR WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed March '12, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

MAL/AM J ML K/A/s,

BY BMJW A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. WILKINS, F FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA HOLLOW BRICK OR WALL CONSTRUCTION Application filed March 12, 1980. Serial No. 435,338.

My invention relates to a hollow brick or wall construction, and to a hollow corner brick or block included in the same.

As is well known, a wall built of ordinary brick is frequently damp, and such a wall will dry out slowly. In rainy weather, the ordinary solid brick wall may become so damp that the dampness will be transmitted to the inner sideof the wall. To overcome this difliculty, it has been customary to lay hollow tile in such a wall, and the hollow tile is ordinarily laid vertically or on edge. The air passages of the hollow tile are vertical and hence are closed at the top and bottom of the wall so that the several passagesare not in communication with each other for the proper circulation of air. It is difiicult to .apply the mortar to the edges of the thin walls or webs of the hollow tile, at their top and bottom. Hollow tile is also large and heavy and can not be handled by the mason with one hand.

It has been proposed, to lay hollow brick or tile horizontally, but the corner hollow brick or tiles must then be laid vertically, and these corner bricks or tiles close the horizontal passages of the horizontally arranged bricks or tiles, at the corners, preventing a circulation of air around the building.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a hollow brickwall construction having horizontal air passages extending throughout the entire lengthof each layer or courseof the bricks. The horizontal passages of the walls lead into vertical passages at the corners, whereby the several horizontal passages are all in free communication, for the circulation of the air entirely around the building. To avoid the disadvantages encountered in connection with the use of ordinary hollow tile, I construct my wall of hollow brick having horizontal passages whereby the tops and bottoms of the bricks are solid or closed, to permit of the proper application of the mortar to the same, as is done with ordinary brick.

In constructing a building, in accordance with my invention, the walls formed of my.

improved hollow bricks having horizontal passages, are connected by corner bricks,

The corner bricks have their inner sides so shaped or cut away that when they are assembled in the corners they will provide vertical passages, and these vertical passages place the horizontal passages formed by the hollow bricks, in free communication with each other. When a suitable number of horizontal layers of the hollow wall bricks and corner bricks have been laid, such as three layers, a horizontal layer of bondingv hollow bricks are then used. These hollow bonding bricks extend transversely of the wall bricks and the bonding bricks have recesses or passages extending horizontally transversely through the same, and which are in communication with each other and produce horizontal passages extending horizontally throughout the wall, in the same manner as the passages in the wall bricks. In order that the bonding bricks will properly break joint with the longitudinal wall bricks, the corner brick in the same layer with the bonding brick must be shortened, and for this purpose, the corner bricks are so constructed that they may be readily broken off at a determined point, and

when so broken off will function in the same manner as the complete corner brick, inestahlishing communication between the longitudinal passages of the wall in the bonding brick layer, with the vertical corner passages. It is thus'seen that only one style or size of corner brick need be made.

A further advantage in connection with the corner brick is that it is extremely simple in construction, and may be quickly manufactured, and at a low cost, like ordinary wire cut brick, by forcing the clay or the like through a suitable die in a brick making machine, producing a strip which is then cut into suitable lengths for the usual wire cutting means. I

The corner brick is solid and although it has the air passage or recess upon its inner side, its top and bottom are of relatively large area, thereby leaving large surfaces upon which the mortar may be easily spread to produce a strong joint, and also rendering the same capableof sustaining a heavy load:

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and 'in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hollow brick wall construction embodying my invention, the corner brick being shown in horizontal section for the purpose of illustration,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the wall construction at the level indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 13,

Figure 3 is a similar view of the wall construction ata level, showing the corner brick arranged transversely in the same wall,

Figure 4 is a plan View of the wall construction taken at the level of the bonding bricks, indicated by the line 1- 1 of Figure 13, Figure 5 is a plan view of the wall construction taken at the level of the top of the ventilator as indicated by line 5-5 of Figure 13,

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on. line 6 -6 of Figure 2,

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section taken on line 77 of Figure 2,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a corner brick,

Figure 9 is a similar view of the wall brick, Figure 10 is a similar view of the bonding brick, v V

Figure 11 is asimilar view of the ventila tor, and Figure 12 is a side parts broken away. 7

In the drawings, wherein for the'purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 15 and 16 designate walls, included in a building, and illustrated as disposed at-a right angle to each other. The walls are formed in two elevation of the wall thicknesses of the hollow brick. The walls embody inner and outer hollow wall bricks l7 and 17, having horizontal longitudinal air passages 18, formed therein, and extending through their opposite ends. and providing solid or closed tops and bottoms 19 and 20, to receive cement or mortar, as is the case with ordinary brick. By having the tops and bottoms of the wallbricks 17' and 17 solid, the hollow bricks may be laid with the same ease and quickness as may be doiie with ordinary brick, and the difiiculty encountered in laying hollow tile on edge eliminated. It is preferred that the wall brick 17' and 17 have substantially the same width and length as the ordinary brick and a height equal to the combined height of two ordinary bricks including the cemenbor mortar joint between them, while the invention is not necessarily restricted to these dimensions. By forming the hollow brick in this size, its weight is not materially increased over that of ordinary brick, but it is as large as two ordinary bricks plus the cement or mortar joint and hence considerable timeis saved by constructing a wall' from my hollow bricks. The hollow brick is of a size and weight to permit the same to be handled by one hand of the mason, as is done with ordinary brick. The hollow bricks 17 are laid in the usual manner to break joint, with the cement or mortar joints 20 between their tops, bottoms, and ends.

The corner which unites the two walls 15 and 16 is constructed of solid corner bricks 21, which are identical, and are reversible, so that they may extend in opposite directions, when laid one upon the other, to effect a bond with the walls, as shown. Each corne'r brick 21 is provided with vertical passages 22 and 23, WlliCll'flI'Q preferably circularly curved, and extend through the top and bottom of the brick. These vertical passages are spaced and separated by an intermediate web 24, preferably having a vertical opening 25 formed therein, which renders it possible to conveniently break the brick in half, at the opening 25. The brick 21 is also provided in the vertical recess or passage 23 with a vertical groove 26, which defines the point at which the corner brick must be broken off when it is to be used with transverse bonding bricks, and. also renders it possible for the brick to be conveniently broken at this point. A large recess 27 is formed upon the inner side of the corner brick, and

this recess is in free communication with the vertical passages 22' and 23 and extends through one end of the brick. The brick preferably has an inclined wall28, at the outer side of the passage 22 and an inclined or beveled wall 29 at the end of the brick adjacent to the passage 23, as shown. The

function of the beveled walls 28 and 29 is to prevent the corner bricks from covering too much of the ends of the longitudinal passages or spaces 18 of the wall bricks 17 or from receiving too much mortar which might tend to produce the same result. When the corner bricks 21 are laid in'the corner of the wall, as shown, it is obvious that the recess 27 establishes communication between the passages 18 of the. wall bricks in the wals 15 and 16, and the vertical passages in the corners.

The walls are two brick thick, as stated, and embody the inner hollow brick 17', laid in the usual horizontal layers, as in laying ordinary brick. The inner bricks 17 cover the inner sides of the recesses 27, as shown. The inner bricks 17' are parallel with the outer bricks 17, producing a wall of the desired thickness,-such as eight inches, including the cement or mortar joint, while the invention is not restricted to this thickness.

When three layers of the bricks 17 and 17 are laid, which correspond to the combined height of six layers of ordinary brick, a layer of bonding brick 30 is laid. These bonding brick 30 are arranged to break joint with the upper layer of outer brick 17 and have a length equal to the combined width of the two inner and outer bricks 17 and 17. These bonding bricks 30 have horizontal openings or passages 31, formed therein, extending transversely of the bonding bricks, and leading into each other to produce horizontal passages extending longitudinally of the wall, which passages are identical with the passages produced by the openings or passages 18. When using the corner brick 21, in the bonding brick layer of wall 16, in order to produce a proper breaking of the 'joints with the next lower layer in wall 16, the corner brick is broken oil at the point indicated by the groove 26, and the remaining curved wall of the recess 23 will then function as the equivalent of the beveled wall 29 so that the corner brick will not cover too much of the passages of the bonding bricks. The ends 31 formed in each layer of the hollow bricks. It

is thus seen that the passages in the hollow walls being in free'communication with each other and with the vertical corner passages, the air may freely circulate from one wall to the other in horizontal or vertical directions or both. This free circulation of the air is very, beneficial in maintaining the interior of the hollow bricks dryand preventing the accumulation of moisture.

The numeral 2 designates a ventilator, preferably formed of metal or the like, and this ventilator is preferably of the length and hei ht of the outer wall brick 17, although it pre erably has a less width. The outer side of the ventilator embodies a rectangular frame 33 having spaced bars 34, affording ventilating openings, and top and bottom plates 35 and 36 are formed upon the frame 33 and preferably have reinforcing ribs 36'.-

proper intake and discharge of air to and from the hollow wall construction. By the use of the ventilators, a distinct ventilating action within the hollow wall construction is provided, butthe invention is not necessarily restricted to the use of ventilators, as satisfactory results are obtainable without them, in which event the air will be free to circulate through the vertical and horizontal passages of thehollow wall construction. The bonding bricks 30 have the same dimensions as the hollow bricks 17 and the corner bricks 21 have the same length, height, and thickness at its closed corner as the hollow brick 17 and 17 It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim '1. A hollow brick wall construction, comprising walls arranged at an an le for producing a corner, said walls comprising layers of outer hollow bricks 17 having horizontal passages passing through their ends with their tops and bottoms solid, corner bricks laid with the outer hollow bricks, the corner bricks being disposed transversely of each other in successive layers to bond with the hollow bricks, each corner brick having a verticalpassage 22 upon the inner side of its closed corner and a longitudinal recess 27 upon its inner side extending from the vertical passage through the opposite end of the corner brick, the arrangement being such that the assembled corner bricks produce a continuous vertical passage and the longitudinal recesses connect the vertical continuous passage with the horlzontal passages in the layers of hollow brick, and inner bricks 17 laid upon the inner side of the outer hollow brick 17 said inner bricks 17' at the corner serving to cover the inner sides of the recesses 27 of the corner bricks.

2. A hollow brick wall construction, com- '1 their tops and bottom solid, corner bricks laid with the outer hollow bricks, the corner bricks being disposed transversely of each other in successive layers to bond with the hollow bricks, each corner brick having a vertical passage 22 upon the inner side of its 1:2

wall beveled at 28 adjacent to'the vertical 3.-

the horizontal passages of the hollow bricks 17 uncovered, and inner bricks 17 upon the inner side of the hollow bricks 17, said inner bricks 17 at the corner serving to cover the inner sides of the longitudinal recesses 27 of the corner bricks.

3. A hollow brick wall construction, comprising walls arranged at an angle for producing a corner, said walls comprising layers of outer hollow bricks 17 having horizontal longitudinal passages extending throughtheir ends with their tops and bottoms solid, inner bricks 17 disposed upon the inner sides of the outer hollow bricks 17, transverse bonding bricks 30 laid in a layer upon the hollow bricks 17 and inner bricks 17 and having transverse passages formed therein extending through their sides with their tops and bottoms solid, corner bricks laid with the outer hollow bricks 17 and with the bonding bricks, the corner bricks 30 being disposed transversely of each other in the successive layers to bond with the hollow bricks 17 and 30, each corner brick having a vertical passage 22 upon the inner side of its closed corner and a second vertical passage 23 between the corner and the free end of. the brick, the corner brick being provided in the second vertical passage 23 with a groove 26 to aid in breaking the brick at that point, each corner brick also having a longitudinal recess 27 upon its inner side extending from the first named vertical passage 22 through the remote end of the corner brick, the arrangement being such that the corner brick disposed in the bonding brick layer is broken off at the groove 26 and the broken end of suchcorner brick is laid in the other wall adjacent to the corner of the corner brick, thereby causing the bondingbricks to breakjoint With the hollow bricks in the next lower layer, the assembled corner bricks producing a continuous vertical passage in the corner and the longitudinal recesses 27 of the corner bricks serving to connect this vertical passage with the horizontal passages in the layers of outer hollow bricks 17.

4:. A hollow brick wall construction, comprising walls arranged at an angle for pro-- (lucing a corner, said walls comprising layers of outer hollow longitudinal brick 17 having horizontal passages extending-through their ends, inner bricks 17 disposed upon the inner sides of the outer hollow bricks 17, layers of transverse bonding bricks 30 laid with the outer bricks 17 and inner bricks 17 and having transverse passages formed therein and extending through their sides, corner bricks laid in layers with the outer bricks 17 and with the bonding bricks, 30 each corner brick being disposed transversely of the adjacent corner brick, each corner brick having a vertical passage 22 upon the inner side of its closed corner and a longitudinal recess 27. upon its inner side extending from the vertical passage to the remote end of the brick, the arrangement being such that the assembled corner bricks produce a continuous vertical passage at the corner and the longitudinal recesses 27 connect such vertical passage with the horizontal passages in the layers of outer bricks 17 and horizontal passages of its transverse bonding bricks 30, and ventilators laid in layers of the outer bricks 17 near thelcorners and near the top and bottom of the wa l.

5. In a hollow wall construction, as a subcombination, a corner brick having a vertical passage 22 formed upon the inner side of its closed corner and a longitudinal recess 27 upon its inner side which recess extends from the vertical passage through the remote end of the brick.

6. In a hollow wall construction, as a subcombination, a corner brick having a vertical passage 22 formed upon the inner side of its closed corner and a vertical assage 23 between the passage 22 and the rec end of the brick, said brick having a vertical groove 26 in the recess to render the brick conveniently breakable at the groove, the inner side of the free end of the brick being beveled at 29 to reduce the thickness of such free end and the vertical passage 23 reducing the thickness of the free end of the brick when broken at the groove, said brick having its inner side beveled at 28 adjacent to the vertical passage 22.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM J. WILKINS. 

